Side Story 01
“But hey, newlywed, aren’t you thinking about having a child? You two seem so happy together.”
A middle-aged woman, bringing a snack tray, asked the young bride who was picking fruit nearby.
Her silver hair shimmered in the sunlight. When she removed her wide-brimmed hat, a white, beautiful face was revealed.
The woman, unusually pretty with a gentle and friendly expression, covered her mouth and laughed brightly.
“Hohoho! Auntie, you really are something. No, I’m not thinking about it.”
“Really? Why not? Why not have at least one? I know a reputable fortune-teller…”
“No. There are things I need to deal with first. I’ll think about a child later.”
“I see… Such a shame. A baby from a bride like you would be so beautiful.”
The middle-aged woman clicked her tongue with regret, then straightened her bent back.
“Ugh…! But right, this isn’t the time to worry about others. This lord’s tyranny has practically bent my back for me.”
“Is it even reasonable to collect so many taxes? Even if it’s by imperial decree, it’s just too much.”
“You never know. Since this is a remote region, the emperor doesn’t keep a close eye here. It could be lies made up by the lord. But right now, that lord has way too much money.”
“Even I think it’s strange. I’ve heard that His Majesty the Emperor wouldn’t be like that.”
“But which bold fool would dare fake an imperial edict? Does that make sense? It’s frustrating. There’s no way to know the truth. Even if you did, the lord wouldn’t heed complaints.”
The people gathered in the orchard began to mutter insults about the lord, pouting.
“The late lord wasn’t like this. Where did such a reckless son come from?”
“But isn’t this emperor supposed to be a little different?”
At that moment, a new topic emerged. The workers spoke of the emperor.
“Different? How?”
“They say he’s extremely handsome.”
“Not his face. Haven’t you heard? They say His Majesty handles things like a thief—solving problems efficiently.”
“What’s that?”
Those picking fruit perked up their ears.
They were intrigued by tales of the emperor. While they had heard of previous emperors’ tyranny, the current emperor’s reputation for bringing peace and justice was something they hadn’t experienced firsthand in their remote area.
But things had changed.
The new lord squeezed the local people dry, raising taxes significantly.
“You know about the recent incident in the upper territories, right? That case where someone was falsely accused of treason and almost had their family wiped out? The person imprisoned there…”
While the villagers chattered, the silver-haired bride with blue eyes listened from afar, nodding slightly.
“…Anyway, the Empress herself cleared that injustice, didn’t she?”
“Really? Why would the Empress personally intervene?”
“Well, that’s absurd, isn’t it?”
Those who had been hoping for news shook their heads and dispersed to resume work.
“Could it really be true?”
“Haha, you really don’t know how things work yet, newlywed.”
The older villagers laughed.
“This country is so vast. Do you think the Empress and the Emperor personally listen to every word of people like us?”
“Right. But, hey… that rumor must be true, right? That the emperor is handsome.”
“You said you lived in the capital, so you may have seen His Majesty yourself.”
Many eyes turned expectantly to the young bride. She smiled confidently and nodded.
“He’s very handsome.”
“Ooooh!”
“But the Empress is beautiful too.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely stunning.”
The villagers applauded and marveled at the bride’s confident affirmation.
“As expected from someone from the capital!”
“But isn’t your husband also remarkable?”
“Right! I’ve never seen a young man so handsome in my life.”
“Eh—”
The bride blushed, covering her cheeks.
“But it’s true. Our Dale…”
“Ah? Look, your husband is coming over…”
Someone turned their head in surprise.
“Uh… what?”
Everyone froze as if struck by lightning. A shocking sight unfolded before them.
The lord they had been gossiping about was being tightly bound and transported in a carriage.
And the carriage carrying the wicked lord was none other than…
“H-His… Majesty…?”
A carriage bore the imperial crest of the empire. Even a newborn could tell whose carriage it was.
They rubbed their eyes in disbelief.
“N-Newlywed? Why is your husband… there? C-could it be…”
The people looked at Enya. She smiled gently, brushing the dirt off her apron as she stood.
“Don’t worry. My husband isn’t being taken away. He’s working.”
Before the villagers could react, the sound of running footsteps came from far away, accompanied by heavy breathing.
“Big news! Ladies! The foreigners who moved here a few months ago… they, they, well…!”
A teenage boy, holding a bunch of newspapers, ran over and shouted.
“They say the Emperor! With the Empress!”
“….”
“Why is everyone quiet? This isn’t a joke. I found out… their faces!”
The boy’s expression quickly matched the astonishment of the others. Everyone stood frozen.
Enya, having removed her apron, smiled radiantly.
“It’s not an impossible story, is it?”
Enya lay sprawled on the bed, massaging her sore arm. As her small fingers moved busily, a large hand gently enveloped hers.
“Thank you for your hard work, Enya.”
Dale whispered while comforting her. He still possessed an exceptional appearance.
Even after moving to the countryside for several months to act as a farmer for espionage, the sun had done nothing to diminish his looks.
His sun-kissed, healthy skin added a mature charm. His eyes, smiling at Enya, were just as they had always been.
Four years of marriage had passed. Their time together had deepened their bond.
“Dale…”
Enya looked up at him with a loving smile.
“Tired?”
“A little. No, maybe a bit more? Hmm, I should get up…”
“Are you really okay?”
Dale narrowed his eyes and asked.
“You seem so tired lately.”
He spoke in a low voice, casually mixing informal speech—a rare change in their married life. Dale usually only used informal speech when scolding Enya.
“But for me, you’re my recovery medicine!”
Enya liked his informal tone. It made her at least pretend to listen.
“You once tried to work yourself to death for your own goal. Now you’re actually overworking. What should I do?”
Dale genuinely worried. Empress duties surprisingly suited Enya perfectly.
Unlike the time she ran from him in the story to avoid becoming empress, the real Empress Enya actively cared for the empire more than any previous empress.
“Sometimes, I feel like work has taken you from me.”
“Nonsense.”
“I’m serious.”
“….”
“Recently, I’ve even received reports that you doze off while standing still.”
“Really? Someone like that exists? Whoever it is must have some incredible talent.”
Enya smiled confidently, pretending it was someone else’s business. Dale, frowning slightly, couldn’t scold her further.
He couldn’t resist her smile. When she held his fingers tightly like this, he had no power to resist. As always, he surrendered to Enya’s laughter.
When Dale kissed her forehead, Enya laughed.
“Kerrok!”
At that moment, a court attendant knocked on the door, clearing his throat.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, Your Majesty, but the court has urgent news for both of you.”
“Was it serious? Of course it was.”
Enya tensed, watching the nervous attendant enter the bedroom. She knew her body had been acting strangely lately.
Though skilled at treating others, this was the first time she’d experienced such a thing herself.
Dale wrapped his arms around Enya’s tense shoulders.
“Dale…”
“Nothing will happen.”
He reassured her, though his eyes were sharper than anyone’s.
“If you die, I die too.”
“Excuse me?”
“We’ll die together.”
“Dale, I didn’t say it’s a fatal illness! Why are you already trying to kill me?”
Enya shook her head, stunned by how far ahead he was thinking.
“Tell me. What illness do I have?”
Enya asked in the poised manner of an empress. The worried attendant bit his trembling lips.
And his diagnosis was…
“You’re pregnant!”
The news: Enya and Dale were expecting a child.
